Raising the Dead
by FadedLace
Summary: Seto realizes that there's something wrong with Mokuba... oneshot


Title: Raising the Dead

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.

Rating: PG, maybe?

Warnings: angst, drabble-ness, Kaiba brothers stuff, kinda ooc-ishness

Author's note: I think I started this before I had really thought it out, so it came off a little drabbley and weird. I hope everyone likes it, though.

Seto sat in the dark room, the shadows slowly creeping towards him, his eyes fixed on the sleeping for in the bed. He had been sitting there for about two hours now, his eyes half-lidded, wondering in the darkness.

He had watched Mokuba's small chest rise and fall with each of the millions of breaths he had taken in the time period, watched his brother move from side to side once or twice in his now-REM sleep. Seto's line of vision remained steady, his body unmoving. Perhaps it was a mask for what was going on inside of his mind.

He wasn't sure what had brought on this mental turmoil; perhaps it had been something Mokuba had said, done, or perhaps it had been his own thoughts, memories. But when Mokuba had smiled at him right before going to sleep, he had known he had come to the correct conclusion.

Mokuba had become a ghost. He was sure of it. His brother was just a memory, a fleeting image of what he had been before the adoption, before Gozaburo. He held on to his childlike ways and other persons of power because, it seemed, he had no other way.

It was now obvious to Seto, there were so many things pointing towards it. The sadness that seemed to hang just out of reach behind Mokuba's eyes, the hollowness vaguely apparent in his smile. Even the slightly nostalgic tone to his voice seemed conclusive. Seto cursed himself for not having seen it earlier.

Seto wondered what had caused this as he stared at the sleeping child. A most likely cause had been Gozaburo, all of his physical and mental abuse. Seto had always been sure that he had taken the worst of it, shielded his brother from what he could, but now t began to dawn upon him that he wasn't so sure. What had happened behind closed doors, when he was out of the house? Seto did not know, and the uncertainty hurt.

And, Seto came to the harsh realization, it wasn't just Gozaburo, it had been himself as well. He had not taken into account Mokuba's feeling when he had become the person he was now, he had only hurried to harden his shell, afraid of Gozaburo. He could not convince himself that he had done the wrong thing, as it had eventually thrown their adoptive father from their life forever, but he still felt slightly guilty.

But, Seto wondered, (for he had to find an apposition to his even own argument) what had the whole thing with Noa been, then? Although Seto hated to admit it, Mokuba had definitely had feelings for the boy, though their dimension was questionable. If Mokuba was truly gone and lost forever, then how had he been able to love Noa?

And then it hit Seto. Mokuba was not gone forever, he was merely lost. And Noa had been the closest so far to brining him back.

Seto immediately felt another pang of guilt. He had passed up many opportunities to do just that, to resurrect his brother from his emotional grave. He realized now that his brother had clung to him, held on to him with all that he was, hoping for the love that he had not received for so many years. And Seto had brushed (not pushed, though this was almost as bad) him away, told him 'some other time' or 'maybe later'. Just that evening, Mokuba had asked to stay up just a little later than his bedtime to keep Seto company, and Seto had dismissed him without much thought.

Well, Seto decided, it was up to him to return his brother to life, whether he liked it or not. Indirectly or directly, it was his fault in the first place, and it was his responsibility as Mokuba's older brother. The task scared him a little, although he would never admit it; he was afraid to hurt the child more. But there was only him left, and he cared about Mokuba more than anything.

Finally, Seto rose from his position beside the bed and knelt beside it. After a few seconds' hesitation, he leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against his bother's cheek. Instantly, Mokuba's eyes fluttered open and stared into those of his brother. It saddened Seto to see that the sorrow appeared more apparent now in his brother's grey eyes, but felt slightly more motivated as he said, "Hey. Want to come keep me company now?"

Mokuba sat up in bed, looking vaguely confused. "But you said earlier…"

"Shh, forget what I said earlier. Are you coming or not?" Seto rose and walked over to the doorway.

Mokuba smiled and hopped out of bed, instantly awake. "Of course I want to come! Thank you, Nii-sama."

Seto said nothing, but smiled. He had never seen his brother's eyes look so alive.


End file.
